


Stumbling

by binarylightyear



Category: Doctor Who
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 08:52:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5822278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/binarylightyear/pseuds/binarylightyear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I wrote this about a year ago.  I never wrote any more of it, but I really love this story, and I hope you will too.  Please enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stumbling

Stumbling, I scrambled up the hill and crouched at the top, working to regain not only my footing, but also my breath. The trek into the forest had taken nearly an hour. I had never been this deep before, and by the looks of the brush, not many humans made the trip. It was too deep, and the trees too dense together. No place to sit and drink or smoke. No graffiti for once. Even the sounds… the sounds were those of a forest, not the far distant streets or of the city. It was a welcome relief.  
After a minute and a sip of water, I continued on. I picked my footing carefully, leather boots soft as to not to cause a stir amongst this place, but still it was like walking on air. The sunlight streamed through the trees, the slight mildew on the wind… everything. Everything was just perfect. A lazy Sunday through the forest is exactly what I needed to relieve myself of the stress of everyday life.  
Business. Bah.  
I slowed a little as something besides a tree or rock cut into my view. I squinted a little and paused my feet, trying to make it out. It was such a starch hard angle against the softness of the nature that it made me feel uneasy. Still, my curiosity got the better of me, and I made my way toward it, ever cautious, ever vigilant.  
I recognize it before I am able to really touch it, but it was worn down. It looked burned and cut, bruised and shaken. The little sign of a door hung from a hinge, and the phone inside was beaten as well. I didn’t touch it, just looked, swallowing loudly.  
The doors were closed, though, and I found this fascinating. There were no lights on inside of it, and though I stood up on my tiptoes to spy through the frosted glass, I could see nothing. Nothing, even with the sunlight streaming into them. I circled the police box once, twice, before stopping before the door, hands at my chest.  
I didn’t know what to do. If I tried the door, would it open? Would I be disappointed that it revealed nothing more than a bloody and stained interior? Would it be locked?  
So I did the logical thing. I knocked. I rapped my knuckles in a quick little thing, and waited. The box didn’t sound hollow. But it was real, I realized as I stood there, waiting. It was really here. A shiver ran through me.  
I stood there for a few minutes, but no one answered. I bounced on the balls of my feet a little, feeling even more uneasy. Finally, I knocked again, ear to the door, sending out a hello to mix in with the knock. This time, I heard soft footsteps, and I pulled away quickly, standing an arm’s length from the door. It opened to reveal a disheveled man, looking to have just woken up, rubbing his eyes a little.  
‘Oh, um, hallo,’ he said, more than a little surprised. ‘I wasn’t expecting you, was I?’  
I was staring. I was staring. Dammit all, I was staring.  
I cleared my throat awkwardly. ‘Um, no. I was just on a walk, you see, and I ran across your box. It seemed odd, so I was curious.’  
He chuckled, leaning against the door frame. ‘Curiosity killed the cat you know. Multiple times actually, which is good as they have nine lives.’ He paused, looking over my hiking gear. ‘I parked out here to specifically not get any visits. And yet I have a visitor! I should have expected it, really.’  
‘I’m sorry—I can leave, I didn’t mean to bother you—‘  
‘Bother me? Don’t be silly. I think I’ve slept quite long enough, actually. Care to come in for some breakfast?’ He stared at me, and I stared back.  
‘More like brunch but sure. That sounds nice, actually.’  
‘Good!’ He said excitedly. ‘What’s your name then?’ He stepped to the side, letting me inside. I made sure to keep my jaw glued shut in place as I stepped in and tried not to notice just how big it was on the inside.  
‘Ayanna,’ I managed, turning once in to get a good look at him. He was grinning, still in his jimjams, watching my reaction. His hair was a bit floppy and hanging into his eyes, and he was tall, taller than I remembered seeing. Or was I just short? But his eyes—a stunning blue-green that were smiling just as much as his lips.  
‘Ayanna? Well, Ayanna, what do you like usually when you break your fast? Bacon? Bananas?’  
‘Oatmeal, usually. Or an apple if I’m in a rush.’  
‘Apples? Apples are rubbish!’ he exclaimed, arms up in the air as he walked around the center console. I followed him through the bowels of his ship to the kitchen.   
‘Apples are delicious,’ I defended quickly, but was smiling, even as he looked at me. His smile was quickly replaced.  
‘No apples on my ship!’ He demanded, opening the fridge quickly, taking a hold of its contents and closing the door again quickly, leaning against it and covering his mouth. ‘Oh.’  
‘Just how long were you asleep?’ I wondered, more than a little amused.  
‘Oh, who remembers,’ he said through his hand, looking up at me. ‘Okay, so maybe no breakfast here.’  
‘What’s your name?’  
‘They call me the Doctor.’  
‘Doctor?’ My heartbeat was suddenly audible in my ears. I had to keep up this pretense of not knowing anything about him. ‘Doctor what?’  
‘Just the Doctor,’ he replied, standing up finally.  
‘Well, the Doctor, why don’t you get changed and we can go for some food? There’s a nice diner in town, not too busy of a place.’  
‘Oh, Ayanna, you read my mind you did.’ His grin was back on his face and he was brushing past me, back into the depths of his ship. ‘I’ll be back!’  
‘I’ll be waiting,’ I said, watching him go before turning around in his kitchen, the TARDIS kitchen. ‘I’ve always been waiting.’  
The kitchen actually didn’t that much different than the bridge—or main room, or whatever he called it. The same colours, and the grates, and this metallic, futuristic but rustic looking appliances, but still, it felt oddly like coming home. I browsed in the cabinets, seeing that his stores were lacking, and it was clear that he had been sleeping for a while, maybe a month or more. He must not have had a companion for some time.  
I stood leaning against the counter, trying to come grips with all of this, now that I had some time without those eyes looking at me. If he was here, and had been asleep, he must have just regenerated. That means he died, and maybe his companion as well. The Doctor. My childhood. Here. Or I am here. Am I here?  
I walked out onto the bridge, boots tapping against the grill underneath. I took in a deep breath as I walked, smelling the staleness of the air, the slight smell of mechanics and their oil, the beauty of the retroness of the design of the TARDIS. It smelled just like I imagined.  
‘I see you found your way back out,’ the Doctor said, stepping down from an elusive staircase, hands in the pockets of his slacks, his smile still lingering. ‘I hope you weren’t planning on leaving without me.’  
I smiled in return, leaning against the railing. ‘Doctor, I wouldn’t dream of it.’ I tilted my head slightly. ‘You look good cleaned up.’ And he did. He was wearing a pair of black slacks paired with a dark plaid button-up shirt, and, as I watched, he started to roll up the sleeves to just below his elbows.  
‘I have to get a feel this time around. But, thank you.’ There was an awkward silence, and I tapped my fingers against the railing. There was like an emptiness that was created by their both holding things back. ‘Well!’ He said, stepping down to the console and flipping a switch, sending the lights blinking. ‘I’m just starved. Let’s see if she’s as awake as me, shall we?’  
‘I’m game,’ I agreed, stepping over to stand beside him. He looked at me and grinned.  
‘But, I dunno, a diner in the twenty-first century? That’s just… boring, isn’t it? Let’s go to the real thing.’  
I stared at him. I think a part of me still hoped this was all a sick joke my friends were pulling on me. ‘Um, what?’  
‘The fifties!’ He walked around the console, pulling a lever. ‘Malt shops and greasers! Com’on Ayanna, where’s your sense of adventure?’ I looked around the center pillar at him.  
‘Are you questioning my inner adventurer, Doctor?’  
He peered right back. ‘I’m daring her,’ he whispered.  
‘And she accepts,’ I whispered back, grinning even as he set the dial and I heard the very distinct sound of the TARDIS disappearing from the forest. The parking brake. ‘So where are we going?’  
‘The fifties!’ He said happily, maybe too happily, coming around me to check a console screen. ‘Well, 1957 to be exact. What could be better than authentic diner food from the generation of poodle skirts and smoking in every public place possible?’  
‘Food that isn’t laced with nicotine or rat poison?’ I crossed my arms but couldn’t hide a smile. He put his hands on my shoulders.  
‘Loosen up, and just think: Whole generations ate it and they turned out fine, ruined the entire American government, but you know, what can you do?’ I had no response to that. ‘Besides, all that fat? I bet its bloody amazing.’  
This made me grin. ‘Is that the kind of man you are, Doctor? Danger around every corner?’  
‘Danger? I laugh in the face of danger!’ He spun past me and clipped off the TARDIS. He let out this chilling laugh, and I couldn’t help but to giggle. ‘Going to open up the door?’  
‘Shouldn’t I change first? Don’t want to start a riot in the years before—‘  
He grinned. ‘Just open the door. You can change in a minute.’  
Giving him a look, I walked across the grates to the door. My palms were sweating, so I wiped them on my pants, looking back at him. He wasn’t smiling anymore, but just nodded. Biting my lip, I pushed open the door.


End file.
